


A Visit

by LadyNight95



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2012-02-11
Packaged: 2017-10-30 14:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNight95/pseuds/LadyNight95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was here. It was finally here. That fateful day you had been obsessing over for at least a month.<br/>Today, Dave Strider, your best bro in the entire universe, was coming to visit you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so, I guess this is my official beginning piece for AO3! If any of you were wondering, yes, I am LadyNight95 on dA as well. I'm hoping I get more exposure here, don't say I stoled when I'm the exact same person. XD This is Post!Sburb, with game memories partly Scratched, Guardians alive.

-Be the dork.-

It was here. It was finally here. That fateful day you had been obsessing over for at least a month.

Today, Dave Strider, your best bro in the entire universe, was coming to visit you. Traveling all the way from Texas to Washington just to hang out with you for a week. It would be the first time that you met him face-to-face, rather than through Pesterchum, the chat application you both used religiously. You insisted on staying home while your dad picked him up from the airport, which Strider took as one of you attempts to be "cool and ironic," but really, it was so you could decorate the house! Your dad had already baked a cake, much to your chagrin (ALL FEAR THE BATTERWITCH), and so you decided you'd complete the task and really make this a party.

Blue and red streamers were...well...everywhere. Matching confetti covered the floor, a genuine accident, but it ended up looking festive anyways. You put the bunny Dave had given you for your birthday by your yellow salamander Casey, who you had named on a silly whim. It was perfectly ironic, or at least you thought it was. Hopefully Dave would appreciate it as much as you did.

You were glaring at the cake, trying to decide what to do next, when the idea hit you like an unabridged version of Colonel's Sassacre's Daunting Text. You chuckled to yourself as you rifled through your stuff, looking for materials. A few minutes, a can of whipped cream, and a stepladder later, it was complete. The Prankster's Gambit would be ever in your favor. The ultimate prankster. It was you.

All you could do was smile as the car pulled up the driveway. Dave Strider was about to get the welcome of a lifetime.

-Now be the coolkid.-

You almost breathed a sigh of relief as the car pulled up the driveway, thankful that the ride was over. It has been awkward as hell, John's dad sitting in the front seat, silently judging you as you sat in the back and flipped through your iPod. He hadn't even said anything to you in the airport, just gave you the once-over and nodded, holding his hand out for a shake. You hope you didn't seem like a total wuss when you shook it, as you were intimidated by that piercing blue gaze. It was strange, though - when you saw that gaze, there was a part of you that wondered if John had eyes that were the same blue. You just brushed it off as nervousness, but now, as you got closer to the house, it nagged at you.  
The nagging didn't go away as you stepped out, looking up at the house that was very different from your apartment. In your extremely derpy distraction, you failed to notice that John's dad had grabbed your things for you. Feeling uncool (but only for a second), you walked up the stairs to the front door. Seeing that it was slightly ajar, and being the coolkid you were, you pushed it open and-

-suddenly, you couldn't see anything. Your vision was obstructed by something that had spontaneously fallen on your head. A bucket, namely. And it wasn't just a bucket. There was something else too, something wet and sticky that was now entrenched it your perfect bleach blond hair. You were going to kill that fucking little derp. He was laughing, snorting, probably at the sight of you, the coolkid, with a bucket on his head.  
Even though you should have been absolutely fucking furious, a small smile crept over the stoic pokerface you usually wore. There was something about his laugh that made this... almost endearing.

That pokerface snapped right back at that ridiculously uncool, or what you thought was uncool, idea. What in the hell was going on in there? Before you brain took a flying flip off the fucking handle, you slowly took the bucket off your head.

You almost drowned when you met those blue eyes.

-Be the derp again.-

Dave's pokerface was absolutely classic as he slowly (ironically!) took the bucket off his head, the whipped cream all over his hair. You couldn't help but burst into another laughing fit, snorts and all. He was just so... adorable like that wait what was that thought there?

It was rudely interrupted by Dave's voice cutting through your little bout of snickering, southern accent thin and tone cool and ironic. "Very fucking funny, Egderp." You stopped laughing and looked up at him, (kind of?) meeting his eyes through the shades he wore. They were the same shades you had given him for his birthday, which made you happy beyond measure. "This is your idea of a spectacular welcome?"

You stopped chuckling, the effects of prankster satisfaction wearing off. "Surprise!" you cried, walking forward and giving him a hug. He was stiff as he accepted it, and you could feel one of his arms move. At that moment, you should've jumped back, but you didn't, and so whipped cream was now also entrenched in your hair. Pulling back, you laughed, reaching up to wipe it off. "Dave! Not fair!"

"That was totally fucking fair. You were the one who landed a bucket full of it on my head. Didn't you know this shit was holy?" he asked, gesturing at his hair. "You have desecrated the monument that is Strider's hair."

Rolling your eyes, you took a step back. There was something about you that felt strange when you were close to him, and you weren't sure how to place it yet. "I offer my completely penitence in the form of a shower, once I show you around my place!" Grabbing him by the arm, you led him around, showing him the kitchen (evil cake and all) and the living room. He commented on how it looked like 3D glasses had shattered and been rearranged around you house, which made you laugh. You pulled him upstairs, pointing out the bathroom, and ending in your room. You pointed out your salamander with the bunny, and he actually smiled.

"Looks like my student as learned well," he said, ruffling your hair, only making the whipped cream situation worse. In spite of that, you cracked your best bucktooth grin in return.

"You are free to shower now, o holy Strider," you said, giving a small bow. He just snorted and asked for a towel, which you got out of the cabinet in the hallway. He walked into the bathroom, closing the door gently, and you walked back to your room, grinning like an absolute derp. Flopping down on your bed, you closed your eyes, daydreaming of the week to come.

It was going to be a good week. You were sure of it.

-Back to the ironic one.-

You were almost losing your shit as you washed your hair, leaning over the tub with a towel around your neck. Those blue eyes practically ruled your brain as you tried to scrub the thoughts and whipped cream out of your head. You already knew you weren't entirely straight, but godammit, this was just uncool. Going for your best bro (who often insisted that he was not a homo) was just all kinds of wrong on so many unironic levels. Resisting the urge to bash your head against a mirror, you towel dried your hair, not really caring what happened to it at this point. Throwing the towel over your neck and your shirt on, you calmly walked out of the bathroom, entirely distracted by the images in your head.

The little derp was laying back on his bed when you entered him room, smiling like an idiot. He looked over at you when you walked in, and his jaw dropped. You were about to ask why when you realized what had happened.

In your distraction, you had left your sunglasses on the bathroom counter.

-Quickly, back to the Egderp!-

Holy _hell_.  
One minute, you're staring at the ceiling, and the next, you were staring right into Strider's eyes. Strider's _ruby red eyes_. Your jaw took a trip downwards, you couldn't help it! Those eyes were so... so... _electrifying_. Even if Nicholas Cage had showed up, right at that moment, he wouldn't have held a candle to Dave's gaze.

Strider looked confused for a moment, and then it dawned in his face. He turned to go, and you were brought out of your reverie. You leaped up, going after him. "Dave, wait!"

"Fuck off, Egbert." You hated the tone of his voice, which was filled with shame. Why was he so ashamed of those eyes?

"No, wait!" You caught his arm, spinning him around. His face was contorted in an expression of self-hatred, and your heart twisted a bit. Perhaps your reaction wasn't exactly tactful. "Why are you so upset about this?" Shit, way to be helpful, Egbert!

"God damn it John, let me go. I already saw your face, I'll just put the fucking shades back on, so you don't have to look at them anymore." He turned away, tugging at your grip.

You held fast, determined. Your heart was still twisting, contorting, and you knew you had to make this right. You tread gently, your voice low and quiet. "Dave... I'm not afraid of your eyes."

The tugging stopped almost instantaneously, and the red eyes faced you once again. "What?"

"I said, I'm not afraid of your eyes. In fact..." You bit your lip, looking down, your brain going a million directions at once. You mumbled and slurred your next sentence. "Ithinkthey'rereallypretty." There, it was out.

"What did you say John? I couldn't make out a fucking word you said."

Or not. You took a deep breath, the million directions at war. Some asked what in the hell you were doing, you were not a homo, this wasn't right! Some responded... some responded that it was right. You had thought about it, and with your best bro right in front of you, you couldn't ignore that cry anymore. Strider had been there for you, through... everything. Even in your dreams, which was a blur of color and adventure, he was there, saving your sorry ass. He put up with your antics, your love for absolutely shitty movies, and your fear of the Batterwitch that was Betty Crocker. After a minute, Dave intruded your thoughts again.

"John? Are you in there?"

When you looked back up and saw his face, eyebrows knitted together in concern, that cry in your head won out. "I think your eyes are really pretty, Dave."

Strider gave you this funny look, like he was happy and sad and confused, all at once. A spark went off in his eyes, almost unnoticeable, but you caught it. Then he raised the arm you weren't holding onto, cupped your face, leaned in and-  
ohmyfuckinggod he kissed you.

-Coolkid.-

You couldn't help it. He was just... god, there weren't words for this. When those words tumbled out of his mouth, you nearly had a fucking heart attack, that's how much it surprised you. You drowned in those blue eyes of his and... that's how you ended up here. Kissing him like the world was fucking ending.

-Derp.-

Your brain had ceased to function as "ohmygod" continued to ring throughout the rafters that was your thought process.

-Coolkid.-

After a while, you felt Egbert kind of slumping, and you pulled away. His bright blue eyes were wide, and his mouth open in shock. He tried to speak, which was absolutely fucking adorable, because all he could get out was "Um." Shit, he needed to stop, before you keeled over from cute diabetes. R.I.P. Strider, victim of one of the cutest boys who ever lived. You had to half drag him back onto his bed, where he laid down and stared at the ceiling, grinning. You waved your hand in front of his face, and he turned back to you, still smiling.

"That... that was amazing." You gave him a twitch of a smile, and somehow, his grin got wider.

"Thought you weren't a homo, Egbert," you teased, smirking wider. He threw a pillow at your face, which you easily caught, laughing.

"Fuck you, Strider, it was your hypnotizing gaze that put me under your spell!" He wiggled his hands at you, being adorable again, and you kissed him on the forehead, making him blush.

"I think this will be a fun week," you said with a chuckle, laying back next to John.

"Yeah," he agreed, clinging onto your side as you petted his hair. "It will."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious about age, they are both just 16 - makes more sense as far as paying for the trip and maturity. Also, it's winter break. Quick thanks to all who read the first!

-Let's be the Strider first.-

You and John stay tangled up for a while, not speaking, just... peacefully cuddling. Staring at the ceiling, one arm around his shoulder, you listened to the sound of his breathing. You had given up trying to keep the coolkid facade, snuggling the little derp against you, pulling him close. He had his head on your chest and an arm and leg thrown haphazardly across your body. He had fallen asleep a little bit ago, and you thought he was dreaming at this point, because he kept motherfucking twitching and murmuring things that you couldn't make out. Absently running a hand through his hair, you realized that it was still sticky from the whipped dream earlier. Figures that Egderp would forget.

"John," you murmured gently, shaking him ever so slightly. That hair needed a serious wash. He mumbled and frowned, burying his face into your chest even more. Shit, was he still asleep? "John," you said again shaking him harder, eliciting another stream of mumbling, with what you thought was the word "bucket" thrown in there. Gog damn, he sleeps even heavier than the fucking dead in their graves. "JOHN. WAKE UP."

He shot up, eyes wide and fuzzy. "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I SWEAR!" He comes back to his sense rather quickly when he sees you laying there. "Oh, shit."

Holy shit. "John...?" You didn't think he could cuss with such passion. "Are you okay, man?"

He shook his head and blinked a couple of times, getting rid of the fuzziness that was there. "Y-Yeah..." You didn't buy it for a fucking second, but you let him continue. "It's just these really vivid dreams I have. I'm not used to being... interrupted."

Vivid dreams? "You've never told me you had dreams like that Egbert. What's going on in there?" You poked his forehead for emphasis.

Fiddling with his glasses and playing with his lower lip, he looked down. "I... didn't want to tell you. They're so ridiculous and crazy, and I barely remember them. They're just one big blur of color and sound. I didn't want to burden you with that, seeing as you help me out with everything else." He looked almost guilty for this, and you inwardly cringed, because you have secrets of your own that you haven't told either. But those were for later.

"John." You tilted his chin up, looking him straight in those deep blue eyes. "It's cool. Really. My fault for interrupting whatever sicknasty dream you were having." He cracked a goofy, bucktooth grin at your usual vocabulary, and you offered a twitch of a smile back. "Now go get showered. Your hair is so fucking sticky. Feels like someone molested your head with a lollipop."

John reached up to touch his hair, making a face once he felt it. "Eww. Yeah, it really does. Let me go and wash it." The cute diabetes almost struck again when he fucking giggled and pulled you up into a hug. Releasing his arms from around you, he hopped off the bed, snagging the towel you had used to dry your hair.

"That was one of the manliest sounds you have ever made, Egbert," you called out to him as he walked out of the room. You could practically hear the eye roll in the "whatever, Dave" tossed casually back at you. Smirking to yourself, you laid back on the bed, ready to nap a bit to make up for the sleep you lost on your flight.

But there were no naps in your future, because a small pling sounded from the iPhone in your pocket. Lazily pulling it out, you checked your notifications. Looks like someone was pestering you.

\--tentacleTherapist [WG] began pestering turntechGodhead [WG] at 15:36--

TT: So I heard you were at a certain Mr. Egbert's house.

Of course it was Lalonde.

TG: no im on the fucking moon  
TG: doing acrobatic pirouettes everywhere  
TT: Should I assume that means yes?  
TT: Wait, why am I asking? It does mean yes.  
TT: Anyways, how is it going?  
TG: fine  
TG: got a bucket on my head  
TG: john and his prankster obsession  
TG: cost me a shower and some perfect hair  
TT: What did he put in there? Water?  
TG: whipped cream  
TT: Must have been a sight to see. How did it feel to be pranked by the one and only John Egbert?  
TG: sticky  
TT: Oh come on now, you must have more than that.  
TG: lalonde  
TG: no  
TG: i am not dealing with this psychoanalyst bullshit today  
TT: I require more information on the relationship between you and Egbert in order to close this file.  
TG: you never close files  
TG: i call bullshit  
TG: or more like snarky horseshit  
TT: Hush, Strider. I will be willing to close this one. That is, if I can get a satisfactory conclusion.  
TT: So come on. Out with it.  
TG: no  
TG: i told you  
TG: i am not dealing with your snarky broads and their horseshit meter  
TT: So you have something to hide, then?  
TT: Your resistance in expressing your true feelings on the matter and a lack of a "cool" or "ironic" response leads me to believe that you may be concealing something.  
TG: im not hiding anything lalonde  
TG: seriously  
TG: stop  
TT: Continued resistance: check.  
TT: I want an answer, Mr. Strider.  
TT: Strider?

You wondered whether or not this would be one of the most stupid things you have ever done.

TT: Where did you go?

Then again, this was Rose. She had raped your brain so much, she probably already knew what was going on. She knew fucking everything if you let her get close enough.

TT: Your prolonged absence is quite disconcerting.

Taking a deep breath, you did a leap of faith into the unknown abyss.

TG: fine  
TG: i kissed him okay  
TG: realized my homo feelings or whatever shit you had documents  
TG: i want to hear the satisfying click of a file closing lalonde  
TG: lalonde  
TG: lalonde where the fuck are you

\--tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering turntechGodhead [CG] at 15:46--

A little thing clicked in the back of your head when a second pling sounded and another Pesterlog opened.

\--gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 15:47--

GG: dave! :D  
GG: you kissed john???

For a fleeting moment, you hoped Lalonde would go die in a hole somewhere. Cold and alone.

GG: that is sooooo cute!!  
TG: lalonde told you didnt she  
GG: hehe, yeah, rose told me!  
TG: gog damn it  
TG: cant keep shit to herself  
TG: whatever. shouldve known this was coming  
GG: so tell me  
GG: how did it happen??  
GG: i am alight with the flames of curiosity as you would put it!!  
TG: thats classified harley  
GG: aww  
GG: you're no fun!!  
GG: pleeeeease tell me? :)  
TG: alright  
TG: since youre burning so badly  
TG: might as well put out the fire  
TG: the sunglasses came off on accident  
GG: :0  
GG: really??? the ever holy sunglasses somehow ended up coming off????  
TG: yeah  
TG: shit happened  
TG: and then we kissed like we were jake gyllenhaal and heath ledger from motherfucking brokeback mountain  
GG: hehe, well, it looks like it ended happily for you!!  
GG: I'm happy that you found each other  
GG: you two are going to be adorable together!!!!  
GG: i'll leave you alone now, and tell rose to lay off too  
GG: have a nice rest of the day!

\--gardenGnostic [GG] ceased pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 15:53--

Standing up, you put your phone back in your pocket. That cat just leapt out of the bag like it was being set down in a bathtub full of hot water. Oh well. They would've found out eventually, from John or some shit like that. Speaking of, he hadn't come back from the bathroom yet. You took that extra time to look out the window. It was a barren world out there, a neighborhood of plain little houses with leafless trees. Cold too, much colder than Texas. You noted the tire swing and the little pogo ride in the yard. God, that thing was so cute, even if you wouldn't admit it. Your attention was diverted when piano music floated up the stairs, the tune energetic and fast-paced.

Egbert said he played piano, but he never said he was a _fucking genius_.

-What is Egbert doing?-

You didn't really know why you were playing this song tonight. They just kind of came to you; you weren't really sure where the urge originated. They just showed up in your head and begged to be played. You had done this one many, many times before, (it was an original composition of yours!) which is why it was almost flawless. Fingers flying across the piano, you drowned in the music, closing your eyes and just feeling it. When you played the piano, it just felt... amazing. Amazing beyond words, that you, the little derp, could actually play this.

"What are you playing?"

A dissonant chord sounded as you jumped and turned around on the bench. Adjusting the glasses that had fallen down on your nose, you looked up at Dave, who had his sunglasses back on. His pokerface was back, which made you kind of sad, but this was Dave we were talking about here.

"J-Just a song," you stuttered nervously, heart still racing from being startled.

"No shit, Egbert. What is it called?"

"I'm... not really sure." Turning back to the keys, you plunked a few notes. "Never gave this one a name."

Dave nodded. He knew you played piano, and that you had made a few songs yourself. "A piece that crazy, I would've thought you named it."

That made you smile a bit, and an idea started forming as you started playing the song again. "You could name it yourself, if you want."

He was silent for a few seconds. "It's your song, John. Not mine."

Shaking your head, you continued to play. "Dave, I haven't been able to name this thing for three years. I am at a total loss here. I want this to be your song to have."

The silence lasted longer this time. You could tell he was really thinking this through. "Showtime. That's all I got."

"That's perfect!" you chirped. Laughing, you played through till the end, and then turned around on the bench. "You are the maker of names, Dave. It is you. I don't even know how you got that!"

Dave shrugged, trying to appear very nonchalant, but you could see by the way his face was twitched up the slightest bit told you he was pleased. "Every song should have a proper name, Egbert. Otherwise, that song is pretty much walking a homeless guy walking around naked, going to live back in a cardboard box whenever you stop playing it. It is shamed forever. Forever, Egbert."

You laughed and stood up, surprising Dave with a small peck on the lips, breaking his pokerface. You shot your fist up in the air, doing a mock dance of victory. "Yes!"

"Egbert, you fucking litt-"

He was interrupted by a gruff, kindly voice sounding from the kitchen, the sound of your dad. "Dinner, boys." You gave a whoop and pulled Dave along to the dining room, where you swear he almost paled at the sight of the steak and potato dinner laid before him. He sat down and ate with barely a word, though, only answering a question when Dad asked him one. It was all the same, typical Dad stuff - "Where do you go to school, what are your habits, blah blah blah." Dave took it rather well though. Then came the cake, which you abjured the hell out of, and Dave ate a piece just to spite you for your little prank earlier.

The rest of the night went by in a blur. You played some awesome games on your Gamecube (shut up Dave, they were totally amazing!), and he, in turn, showed you his blogs and comics. Then came the event of the night, the one thing you had been waiting for - you were going to make Dave watch Con Air! You had to pretty much drag him to the couch where the TV, but you managed to get him to sit and stay. Your attention was on the movie most of the time, but when you looked over at Dave, you could see he was reacting behind the mask. It was the tilt of the eyebrows, or the way his nose wrinkled. It made you smile to yourself to know he was still getting something out of this.

Then came that fateful scene. The one that made you blubber like a freaking little girl, no matter how much you tried to contain it at the very manly age of sixteen. The minute "How do I live without you?" erupted from the TV screen, tears gathered in your eyes. Dave looked over at you, the mask breaking into concern. "John....?"

You gave a little hiccup of a cry and wrapped your arms around Dave, really getting into the moment. "This scene... it always gets me." You wiped your eyes, chuckling. "It's just... such a sweet reunion."

Dave chuckled a bit too, relieved. "Figures. You are almost as sappy as a fucking maple tree, John. I could make fucking syrup with how much sap you have."

You punched him lightly in the shoulder and hugged him tighter. "You know you love iiiiiiiiit, Dave!"

He shrugged, but you could read it in his face, and that was enough.. You got up and got the DVD out once the credits started rolling. "Now... what do we do?"

"I could..." He paused for a moment, and then he got out his earbuds. "Don't want to wear our time out on the first fucking day. How about I show you what real music sounds like?"

Rolling your eyes, you agreed, and put one earbud in your ear. Dave flipped around songs, finding music he wanted you to listen to. Even though you really hadn't listened to things like club, electronica, and techno, you found that you liked what Dave played for you. You just leaned your back against his shoulder, and drowned in the sound. At least, you drowned in it till you heard a rap song come on. He knew you didn't really like rap, so why was he...?

Oh. He was asleep.

Turning around gently, you checked. Yep, those eyes were closed. You took the earbuds out and paused his iPod; he surprisingly didn't wake. Grabbing a blanket and covering him up, you went to sleep in your room. You didn't need to wake him up just to drag him up here. You would see him tomorrow.

-A little bit more time, and we are Dave again.-

A loud cry was what jolted you out of sleep. You were still sitting on the couch, a blanket thrown haphazardly across you. Gog damn it, you had fallen asleep on John. Speaking of John... was he the one that cried out just now? A second cry sounded, almost a reply to your question, and you sprinted up the stairs. Flinging open John's door, you rushed over to his bed, where he was contorting in the sheets. He was crying out your name, almost screaming it incessantly now, wrapped tightly in a nightmare. Going over to his bed, you sat down and pulled him to you, holding him tightly, crooning soothing syllables into his ear. Instinct had taken over by this point, and you rocked him, rocked him so he wouldn't be in pain anymore, wouldn't be scared. You had never felt emotion like this, this raw desperate need to soothe, and it kind of scared you how you weren't in control of yourself.

The crying subsided to hiccuping, and he began murmuring your name rather than screaming it. Laying him back on the bed, you realize, with a shock, that he had been asleep the entire time. He.... really did sleep like the dead. Kissing him on the forehead, you held his hand and pet his hair, relieved that this little bout was over. Making a split second decision, you schooched John over a bit and laid next to him, just in case he had any more nightmares. You held him close and continued to murmur things into his ear until you fell asleep.

-For a moment, let's join a spectator.-

The boy, Dave, hadn't noticed your presence in the doorway. He was too concerned with your son, thrashing about in one of his terrifying nightmares. He had called for your name once upon a time as well. But never had you been able to calm him like this. This boy... he was truly something else. Even though your boy had denied he was a homosexual, you knew that he cared for his friend. And with that sign of affection, you knew what had happened between the two of them. But you were content with that.

You didn't mind this turn of events.

No, you didn't mind it at all.


	3. Chapter 3

-Wake up, Egbert.-

You wearily open your eyes, blinking as they adjust to the morning light flooding in through your window. As you come to your senses, you realize something very human is currently holding you, their chin resting on your shoulder. Not even turning your head, you know its Dave. You closed your eyes, trying to remember what the past night’s dream was. Maybe that’s why he was here. A menagerie of dead Daves flashed before you, and you involuntarily shuddered and opened your eyes again. A nightmare. You must have been screaming (as usual), and woken him up. It made you smile to know he came to help you.

Reveling in the comfort of his touch, you stayed in bed for a little bit longer. That is, you stayed in bed until you saw the snow falling outside, and then you promptly untangled yourself from Dave and ran over to see just how much had fallen. You were oblivious to the groans of the coolkid behind you as you gave a whoop of joy and thought of a million ways to bombard Dave with copious amounts of snow. As you hunted through your closet for a proper jacket (stupid coolkids not coming prepared!) he finally woke up.

“Jegus fuck, Egbert,” he said, rubbing his eyes under his sunglasses. “What is your deal?”

“It snowed!” you chirped back excitedly, holding up a white fluffy winter coat that your dad had gotten for you to replace the slightly worn out blue one you had. White wasn’t your thing, though, and your blue one was just fine, so this one wasn’t worn. “I’m going to introduce you to the joys of winter in Washington!”

“Please, please don’t tell me you’re going to make me wear that white monstrosity.” You swear he almost paled at the thought, and it brought forth a snicker from you. “Seriously, John. That thing should be a crime.”

Rolling your eyes, you hung it on the doorknob for later. “You’ll freeze if you don’t. And I don’t care what you say,” cutting him off before he could protest, “we are going outside.”

He muttered a simple ‘Fuck you’ under his breath, and you chuckled. You had barely closed the closet door when a pair of hands suddenly grabbed you from behind and threw you to the ground, pinning you in an instant. Dave was on top of you, smirking. Damn, how had he moved that fast? You didn’t have any time to react!

“Not fair, Dave!” you cried out, squirming a bit, which only made him tighten his grip and smirk wider. “I didn’t even hear you coming! We don’t all have ninja skills like you!”

His voice was low and smooth, and it made you shiver a bit. “All is fair in love and war, Egbert.” When he brought his face slightly closer to yours, your brain finally registered just how close Dave was. It also noted how you were only in your boxers. Oh God, your face was probably bright red by now. 

“Look at the blushing bride,” he teased, tracing your jaw with his fingertip, making your pulse race. 

“Sh-shut up.” Shit, that was absolutely pathetic. Your manly pride just took a fucking nosedive. You guess it wasn’t too bad, though, being humiliated like this. Especially when he started kissing you. Yeah, it was definitely worth the sloppy makeouts. 

You’re not sure how long you two had been kissing before you had to begrudgingly break off. “Dave?”

“Mmm?” He raised his eyebrows.

“I have to go to the bathroom. Really bad.”

He sighed and stood up, helping you to your feet. Going over to your dresser, you quickly grabbed out a shirt and ran to the door. “I’ll be back!” you threw over your shoulder, and then you were off.

-Dave?-

You nearly lost your shit the moment he left. That mistake was just absolutely STUPID, you know he hadn’t noticed but GOD was it just plain DUMB. ‘It was totally worth it,’ a part of your brain whispered, and you shot it dead with a simple ‘NO’ for the time being. Nothing was worth uncovering the Strider family secret. Absolutely nothing. You had promised Bro you would never, ever flashstep outside the confines of your apartment. 

‘Shit would scare civilians,’ he had put simply, shrugging his shoulders. ‘Being able to move across a room in a single, invisible instant isn’t really something people call normal.’ You completely agreed with that statement, and from that moment on your swore on Lil Cal’s fist bump that you would never exhibit your skills out in public.

And boy, just look at you upholding that promise. Flashstepping in your best bro’s room for the most asinine reason. Just to pin him to the ground over a petty winter jacket. Okay, maybe that was worth it, seeing as how you got some pretty damn sweet sloppy makeouts out of the whole ordeal. But that wasn’t the point. The point was that you had screwed up, and you were going to have to explain it to John sooner or later. 

The click of the door opening brought you out of your reverie, and you assumed your natural pokerface. John was now wearing a much too large Midnight crew shirt that, much to your internal chagrin, covered up sufficient parts of his torso and legs. “C’mon, Dave! My dad’s making pancakes! Fluffy buttery goodness waits for no man.”

“Alright, I’m right behind you, bro.” You followed John back down to the dining room, where more food than you knew what to do with assaulted your eyes. Bacon, eggs, and holy _shit_ were those pancakes just for the three of you?? How John stayed so twiggy would forever be a mystery for you. You sat down, and your stomach growled in anticipation.

Then the beast within was sated, soothed by fluffy buttery goodness (godammit Egbert you made it so catchy) and the satisfaction of a tasty breakfast. John ran upstairs like an excited little bunny, saying something about ‘getting ready for the snow,’ and you chuckled, staying behind and letting your stomach rest. You were at peace.

“You really do care for John, don’t you?”

The juice you were currently sipping nearly came out of your nose. “W-What?” you sputtered, your peace flipping you off as it flew out the nearest window. 

John’s father chuckled, obviously enjoying the rise he got out of you. Damn Egberts and their Prankster Gambits. “I’m not a blind man. I saw you were able to comfort my son last night. Not even I have been able to calm him when he gets like that. 

You ninja skills stat took a hit. Looks like you didn’t watch your back closely enough. However, that didn’t stop something deep inside you from glowing. To know that you could reach John in a way that no one else could was something you treasured, even if you wouldn’t let on about it.

“So, Mr. Strider, after discussing with your brother...”

Oh gog jegus he had already talked to Bro about this?

“After this week, you can decide if you want to stay here.”

What. 

Did he just say _stay_?

Your brain did a triple backflip off the fucking handle. 

-Let’s go back to Egderp!-

When Dave walked by you, he seemed to be in a lifeless stupor. You were happy he was going to get ready and all, but he was acting really strange! When you asked your Dad why, he claimed he didn’t think Dave was acting weird at all. Huh. Must have just been your imagination. You went into the living room, fully outfitted in your winter jacket, jeans, and boots, and waited for Dave to change. 

He came back downstairs a few moments later, _actually wearing the white jacket._ Gasping in mock terror, you pretended to his behind your couch. “Who is this stranger that has taken Dave Strider’s place?”

With an eye roll, he flipped you the bird. “Curiosity slayed the cool cat inside of me.”

“Can’t say that I mind too much!” Holding out your blue-gloved hands, you wiggled your fingers. “Got your gloves?”

Holy shit, he actually mimicked you back. “I’ve got them, Egbert. They’re too white and pristine for my tastes, but whatever.”

“We’re all good to go, then!” You temporarily stuck your head into the dining room. “Dad, me and Dave are leaving now!”

“Have fun, boys,” was the last thing you heard from your Dad before you dragged Dave out into the crisp, cool winter air.

The effect on Dave was nigh instantaneous. “Holy fucking _shit_ Egbert, it’s as cold as the motherfucking north pole out here.” He wrapped his arms around his body, trying to regain warmth as the two of you started to walk.

This time, it was your turn to roll your eyes. “It’s not that bad, Dave! It’ll just take you a bit to get used to it,” you reassured him, unwrapping his arms and taking one of his hands. “It won’t really matter once we’ve started running around anyways.” Miraculously, he stayed quiet, and you two walked the block to the park.

\---

You didn’t know Dave Strider could throw a snowball so well. 

He had this crazy aim (ninja skills my ass, this is unnatural), and a way of packing snowballs just right so that every time they hit you, you swear they made a bruise on impact. After getting a sincere pounding, you laughed, throwing your hands in the air. “Mercy, mercy!” you cried, dropping the snowballs that you had in your hands. 

“Striders show no mercy,” he dead panned, and struck you again.

Faking your death, you fell to the ground, throwing a hand across your forehead. “Oh, I am slain! Such a cruel, cruel world.”

This made Strider chuckle a bit. You loved his laugh, it’s smooth, low monotone. “Come on now Egbert. You are much too strong just to be killed by a tiny fucking snowball.”

“I was weak! I cried out for mercy!”

“Oh, for fucks sake. Do I need to kiss you back to life or something?”

Oh, this opportunity was just too good to pass up. “If I am to live, I require the kiss of life!” you chirped in a high falsetto, snickering a bit.

“Of course, my little princess.” Rolling his eyes, he knelt down beside you, giving you a gentlemanly peck on the lips.

Now you sat up, leaning into his arms, talking in a falsetto once again. “Oh, my prince! I have been saved!”

The giggle of a little girl bounced across the clearing, and both of your heads snapped her way. She was jumping up and down, clapping her hands together, a look of pure delight on her face. “Look mommy, look! A happy endin’!”

Her mother smiled warmly. “A happy ending indeed.”

“You have to carry him away now, Mister Prince!” the little girl called out, and you looked up to Dave, who had a hint of a smile on his face.

“You okay with me picking you up, bro?” he asked quietly, trying to play along.

“Yeah,” you said, grinning widely. He scooped you up, princess style, and started to walk away, the little girl squealing behind the two of you.

“You just want to go home, princess Egbert?” he asked, unable to hold back a smile. “Bet the little girl would be tickled fucking pink to see me carry you home and deliver you at your doorstep.”

“Take me home, my sweet prince,” you said with a chuckle, wrapping your arms around his neck, settling your head on his chest, just above his heart. You listened to his heartbeat as he carried you home, a derpy smile on your face.

You won’t ever, ever get used to this.

-Coolkid?-

Fuck the pokerface. The way you felt right now couldn’t be masked by something so simple. The joy of carrying John Egbert in your arms was boundless, absolutely boundless. Something within your head asked when you had turned into such a fucking sap and to man the fuck up, but you shooshed it. Only love now. Only love. 

The squeals of the little girl rang towards you when you nudged open the door to John’s house. Jegus, little girls sure had a fucking pair of lungs. You decided that was okay, though, when John’s derpy smile turned into a grin. Starting to walk calmly across the room, you saw John’s dad start to walk through the kitchen…

…and you, in a sheer panic, decided to flashstep your ass all the way to John’s room.

Well, shit.

-Dork.-

How.  
What.

You were in your living room, and then you weren’t.

This kind of stuff was supposed to be impossible, wasn’t it?

Oh my dear gog.

-Well, Dave?-

You were pretty sure that John was in a state of shock right now, by the way he had a death grip on your neck and all he could say was ‘um’ over and over again. Sighing, you laid him down on his bed, knowing that you had some explaining to do. He just laid there, staring up at you with wide, blue, innocent eyes, and you could see the gears turning as he tried to process what just happened. In the meantime, you took off your jacket, and he, after a few stunned seconds, did the same.

It took a few minutes for him to finally speak. “Umm, Dave?”

“Yeah?” you casually replied, trying to retain a cool demeanor.

“How did you… you know…” He wiggled his hands, trying to make a point. 

“How did I move that fast?” you finished for him, and he nodded. “It’s called flashstepping.”

“Flashstepping?” His eyebrows hit the ceiling. 

“Yeah, it’s a Strider thing,” you said with a shrug. “We can walk a bit faster than other people can.”

“Huh,” he breathed, and you couldn’t help but note the wonder in his voice. “So earlier today, when you pinned me to the ground… you were flashstepping?”

You nodded.

He grinned this sly little grin, and it did funny things to your heartbeat. “Would you be willing to do that some more later tonight?”

You sure as hell weren’t going to say no.

-Egderp?-

Sloppy makeouts before bed? Best. Thing. Ever.

Post makeout cuddles? Even better.

Then, he whispers in your ear, “Want me to stay?”

You look up into his bright red eyes, and smile.

“Yeah.”

And you, John Egbert, fall asleep in the arms of the boy you love.


End file.
